XMARK 11-Gauge Seated Calf Raise with Height Adjustable Swiveling Thigh Pads, Dual Olympic Weight Posts, and Wide, Textured Non-Slip Foot Brace Bar XM-7613

I thought I should take a quick moment to add my thoughts on this XMark Seated Calf Raise Machine (XM-7613). I have been using it for 3 months now and feel that I have had ample time to be familiar with the machine.I was surprised at the quality of this product, given it's price point. Most of my equipment is commercial gym quality, though I do own a few pieces of equipment that are made for home use (this being one of them). It is made of heavier gauge steel tubing than I expected. The quality of the welds are actually quite good. The finish is a nice flat gray with an even coat and the seat is large enough for a large sized man and it is quite comfortable. Stiching on the seat is excellent, with tight lines (no sloppy wavering) and no fraying. Assembly was a snap and it works well, even with a heavy load.The only negative (not enough to take away a star) is that the polished steel (not plastic!) collars that hold the Olympic Plates, are not of the generally high quality of the rest of the machine. Welds on these are typical of "made in China" equipment. Also, the diameter is smaller than the ends of a typical Olympic barbell and I can not find any clip that will snug down tight to hold the plates from sliding around, when in use. Honestly, this is not a major problem; more of a quibble.Overall, I have been very favorably impressed with this seated calf raise machine and feel that it is honestly worth more than it cost. A great value for the money!

Good quality. It is not commercial gym quality but it’s close especially for the price. Extremely easy to put together and it comes with all the tools you need to assemble and they work just fine. Shipping was rough on the outer box but it was packaged really well and the calf machine was not damaged at all. Olympic weights fit the sleeves perfectly and the movement is identical to the one at my (Covid closed) Golds Gym. I have received nothing from anyone for this review but if you’re putting together a home gym this is well worth the price. It also showed up a little faster than advertised too.Update : I have not used this calf machine but twice but all of the glued down parts are coming off. The “rest” for the arm and the grip tape is not sticking. I don’t consider either of these a big deal. I will re-glue the rest pad and will buy high quality grip tape to replace the foot grip. The machine is still useable this way but I Just don’t want it to look like it’s coming apart.

Real & Honest Review:I wanted to add a calf raise to my home gym. There are A LOT of options out there, but with the current pandemic this was the only one available. Price was a little more than I wanted to spend compared to similar competitor machines.Initial Impressions: Shipment came on a pallet. Boxes were double boxed and packed well. I did not receive any damaged pieces.Installation/Directions: Installation took about 30 minutes. Instruction manual was clear.Durability/Use: Quality is great for small gym and at home use. I would not qualify this as a commercial piece. There are some annoyances that I’ve found.1)Spring clamps will not “clamp” down on the Olympic bar adapters.2) The adjustable slide piece (see picture) is a bit wobbly when inside the spring frame (in english, this is the piece that moves to adjust to your knee pad location. When you press your knees on the pad, it moves around like a loose piece. I had to use plastic shims, cram them in between the gaps to stabilize.Overall: It’s a bit expensive for similar products, however I am very satisfied with the purchase and would recommend to people looking to add pieces to their home gym.*I was not asked by the company to review the calf raise**I was not compensated for this review

I have had a few bad experiences recently buying gym equipment for my home. Recently I bought a Golds Gym Platinum Smith Machine. Total hunk of junk! I feel taken advantage of having paid what I did for it. total garbage, and not for even an average person for working out.So, I decided when buying this piece of equipment that I wanted something a little higher grade. For the price, this machine is rock solid, heavy duty, and simple to assemble (took 20 minutes moving slow). I have been using it for weeks now and the machine is well constructed, with olympic weight sleeves included that are heavy duty, stainless steel. You can also opt for non olympic if you don't have olympic weights.I have worked out in many gyms and I like this machine better than many of the ones I have seen in gyms. The pads above your knees, are not in a fixed position, they rotate a bit making the fit on your knees even better than a stationary pad over your knee. Makes the movement much more custom to your body. Most gym machines also allow you to adjust the height of the pads, this one does that, AND allows you to adjust the distance horizontally as well. don't know I have seen that in any machine.For once I don't feel ripped off. Heavy duty steel, no doubt I will get many years of use from this machine! Highly recommend.Price/Value: 5 starsConstruction: 5 stars (heavy duty steel)Function: 5 stars-as good as any gym quality calve press I have used, great range of motion for a full calve workoutAssembly: 4 stars-decent directions and not that hard to assemble-30-45 mins if you are meticulous.